In modern bakery operations, conveyorized ovens are utilized for baking bread and other dough products in order to transport the bakery products through the oven on a continuous basis. The conveyor typically is a single continuous conveyor extending through the oven, and perhaps other bakery operations. In the baking process, the conveyor becomes soiled with dough and other baking materials. In addition, portions of the conveyor may become soiled with bakery oils. This necessitates the cleaning of the conveyor units for sanitary purposes.
A typical bakery conveyor of the type presently predominating bakery industry consists of a centrally supported drive chain on which are mounted a plurality of wire grids having a generally sinusoidal shape. Such conveyors are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,680,493, 4,726,766; and 4,514,167. These conveyors generally include the center drive and support chain mentioned above, which travels in a support tube. The center chain, the support wheels on the chain riding in the tube, and the surfaces of the wire grid, may all become contaminated with various materials encountered within the oven environment, and must be cleaned. In the past such cleaning has been attempted by rinsing the conveyor in detergent and water, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,493. However, this has not been entirely satisfactory.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an oven grid and conveyor cleaning system which can be adapted to be operated without shutting down the bakery unit.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bakery conveyor cleaning unit which can be selectively operated as required.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved bakery oven conveyor cleaning system which economical to manufacture and efficient in operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved bakery oven conveyor cleaner unit.